prolapse, please help

Hi. I'd an episiotomy for forceps which troubled me afterwards and needed antibiotics and pain killers and I was left feeling very odd below, so at my 8 week pp checkup my GP said I didn't have a prolapse but that I was a bit 'baggy' from a traumatic birth (prolonged pushing, forceps and a 10.8 baby). I was so so relieved. She referred me to NHS Physio for help with this and that Physio said I'd a mild prolapse from the rectal wall and a very weak pelvic floor. I'm home now and I went back to my private Physio (not in uk) because she was so good at sorting out a different issue before this pregnancy and knows my body well, and she said I've a 2nd degree prolapse. I'm absolutely horrified and can't seem to read anything encouraging about it. I can feel it all the time and it's dominating all my thoughts and my time. My baby is now 5 and a half months old. I feel devastated - sex, exercise, health and looking recovered from a pregnancy... Feels like I'll never get to tackle them.

I am doing my pelvic floor exercises - probably correctly only for the first time now after the Physio here explained that constant 'tweaking' at the muscles all day long is counterproductive and causes the muscle to underperform.

Anyway I'm quite distressed about it and the options seem so useless... everything comes with a list of problems. I'm going to do the pelvic floor exercises to the letter, has this actually controlled the symptoms for anyone? I could do with hearing some positive stories. (But I understand if there are none... Even what to ask/push for would help).

A 2nd degree prolapse is when the uterus - if affected- is mainly all in your vagina, but not showing at the entrance (quite) when you stand up. A 3rd degree is when it's coming out and 4th degree is when it's totally out. Is this what you have? Ask to be referred to a gynae. Exercise is unlikely to make a 2nd degree prolapse better- you'd need surgery.

It can be a prolapse of the bladder, rectum or uterus. The bladder one is fairly common. Exercise can improve a bladder prolapse considerably, it did for mine for a number of years. After the menopause (which I had fairly early at 48) I had surgery as it gets worse when the oestrogen is gone. Havalina, you may well get a good result from the exercises with the Physio, and that is absolutely the right thing to do. I had a forceps delivery too. Surgery is available but if you haven't finished having babies they prefer to put it off till after as another birth can damage the surgery. With exercise I was able to get mine so I couldn't feel it at all (except at certain times in my cycle or if I'd be pushing and pulling at things). You need to be patient with the exercises, they do work but it can take a couple of months till you realise you aren't feeling the prolapse as much. You can still exercise you just need to choose the exercises carefully.

Thank you both. Sali I looked here for previous threads but I guess I didn't go back far enough.

This all feels so grim. There was no mention of my uterus dropping but that the prolapse was a bulge from my rectal passage. I was really shocked when my physio said it was a second degree as only weeks ago my NHS physio said it was "very mild" and that my pelvic floor had responded well. Something's obviously changed.

I'm home to the uk later this week. I will see my GP and ask for a gynae referral.

Well I'm Glad to hear the exercises can work in some way. I have had swelling, bruising, scar tissue etc for months playing havoc so it was hard to know how things were looking down there.

I'm done having kids, have two and am 41. I was very for before and healthy with a low bmi but now I feel revolting and not sure how to exercise to get rid of the pregnancy fat. I feel the weirdness even walking the short distance to the playground.

I'm seeing my own private physio here for a final session tomorrow before I leave. I'm going to have a very big talk with her.

Is surgery successful?? Most online stories seem to be quite negative. Oh I'm just desperate to hear something positive!

I had surgery at 36, 2 years after DD was born. I had grade 1 for all of them- uterus, bladder and slightly rectocele. So far it's been successful. That's after 25 years.

I did do all the exercises for months but didn't get much improvement. But everyone is different.

I was examined by 4 drs until one agreed I had prolapse. My GP, a female gynae, a dr who did a private smear- all said I was fine. Dr 4 - another gynae- said I had prolapse worth fixing if I wanted it fixed.

Even after surgery though you have to be careful and keep doing the exercises. You can't lift any heavy weights and I was told never to run / jog/ do any high impact exercise ever.

Sali, the thought of going through all that with various gps sounds exhausting. I am going to get a gynae opinion on what's going on. I know my private healthcare excludes anything pregnancy related I have my physio today and am going to get to my GP on Friday.

I had a prolapse after my first. Saw a physio and did pelvic floors religiously. Sometimes I still feel it when I'm at the end of my period, I find tampons uncomfortable, the rest of the time it's fine.My son is now 4 and I've had a second child 3 months ago. I haven't had any of the same symptoms as before so I assume the prolapse is gone.

I've got a first degree on my front and back walls. After months of trips to docs and consultants I was offered physio and given estrogen pessaries as I am naturally low in estrogen and this tightens your vaginal walls after birth. I have noticed a real difference. Don't get me wrong, it's still there but I can walk to the shop now without it being the first thing on my mind. My ds is 6 months and I hope in another 6 months it will be even better. Would love more kids but terrified it will get worse.